Ms. Kelly has penned a fabulous read in this book that had me engrossed from the moment I started reading and held my attention to the very end. Seriously, the way this story started was very attention-grabbing, because of Max's dilemma. What would he do to his best friend? Would he find himself in trouble? However, it was from the moment that the hero and heroine come face-to-face for the first time in this story where things get very interesting. Max wants Sarah, but after what happened in the moment where they came face-to-face for the first time in years, Max isn't sure where he stands with the heroine. 

Both the main characters charmed me with their back stories and their growing relationship. There was really strong chemistry between Sarah and Max, which was there in college and is still there in the present and I loved how it just kept getting stronger throughout this story, as Max fights his feelings until he finally realizes what he wants. Will he be the man to show Sarah how good sex can be? Furthermore, Sarah was a wonderful heroine.  She's strong, brave, independent and it's understandable why she concentrated so hard on her career after what her ex did. However, she also knows that being a virgin at her age isn't the norm. Can she convince Max to be her first? Then there's the tough decisions she has to make, as she and Max get closer. What will she do about her career? Will she stay in Chicago or go to New York? 

While Max, I absolutely loved him, despite the fact that he believed he wasn't good enough for Sarah, all because of his parents volatile relationship and the fact that it's made him afraid to commit to a woman. I also liked the close friendship he had with his friends and how tight he was with his sister. All love to offer their advice when it comes to his relationship with Sarah, and I'm glad that he finally began to listen to it before it was too late. Especially since life is too short not to be with the one he loves, which is proven by what happens to one of the secondary characters that Max is really close to. Luckily, things worked out right in that instant, but it could have easily turned out grim.

Overall, this was a superb read that has me looking forward to reading more of this series as well as the first book -- May the Best Man Win. The way this story ended was perfect, especially because of what one of the secondary characters did to get these two back together. Luckily, it spurs Max into realizing how much he loves Sarah and that he's not going to let her go without a fight. However, it was the epilogue that wrapped this story up nicely, because it sets things up for the next book, with a certain secondary character going to be in big trouble with another secondary character. I would recommend The Wedding Date Bargain by Mira Lyn Kelly, if you enjoy the second chance romance trope or books by authors Melody Anne, Kelly Jamieson or Lucy Parker.

This was light and funny, and I laughed several times. Full review to be written for Shelf Awareness.

I couldnt put it down, yet I wasn't always in love.  I believe the story stalled in places I needed it to speed up and sprinted when I needed things to saunter a bit.

**Received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.**

"The Wedding Date Bargain" is written by Mira Lyn Kelly, and it is the 2nd book in The Wedding Date series. It can be read as a stand-alone book. It features Max Brandt and Sarah Cole.

Max and Sarah have always had chemistry even back in their college days. With Sarah in Chicago for a few months before leaving for her job in New York, she wants to remedy the situation of her virginity. She thinks Max would be the perfect person to help with this. Max cares deeply for her. She's always been important to him, but because of how his parents' relationship is, he doesn't want to ruin their friendship if there is a fallout. He turned her down in their college days. Will he walk away again?

What I enjoyed a lot about this book is the build-up. Readers can feel the attraction, so you're left anticipating. Max intends to woo Sarah. You will love all the dates he has planned out for her! But what happens when this fling becomes something more? Will they try a long-distance relationship?

I think this book had it all. I loved the first book in this series, and this was no different. I've seen this type of storyline told a couple of times, but I felt a different vibe with "The Wedding Date Bargain." It was really well-written and fun! And it really drew me in as well. I went through a lot of emotions with this book. I was smiling and laughing, and I could feel their insecurities and doubts. Kudos to Mira Lyn Kelly! I really enjoyed this book, and if the epilogue is any indication of how the next story will be for the next couple written in this series, I'm sure that story will be wonderful as well!

The wedding date bargain is the second book I have read by Mira Lyn Kelly. Her writing style keeps you hooked on every word, and this is another fun romance novel. The title of the book is a little misleading, but you can eventually fit it into the book (Broken down).

Max has a commitment phobia but is looking for something longer than his usual one nighters. He has let Sarah slip through his fingers once before but this time she's only in town for a short stay and a two-month fling while she's here could be appealing. 
Sarah has a little problem which she is hoping Max can sort out. She wants to take care of it before she goes back into the fast lane. She loves her job, but it consumes most of her life. She's tried waiting for love before, but it bit her in the butt. Now she's looking for a friendly fling so she can put her issue behind her. She's a beautiful, fun, loyal and hard working lady who is a loveable character.

Max is jealous when other men are interested in Sarah and needs to work out why. He's the man for the job when it comes to Sarah, and he could be the guy for a whole lot more. Max has the swoon factor and the moves to match. He needs to get over his issues before he loses the best thing he ever had. 

Fun and sweet. Hot and sizzling. The book was an enjoyable 4.5 stars out of 5. 

The wedding date bargain is intended for adult audiences with some hot under the collar blush-worthy scenes.

*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley*

Couldn't connect with it - DNFd it because 20% of the way in I just didn't care.

Kind of unrealistic, but sweet, sexy, and hard to put down. I loved the ending!

The Wedding Date Bargain is one of those books that a good friend of mine calls a bathtub read.  Please don't think that is a bad thing, for me this is one of those books that i could read over and over because it is just a feel-good romance with a good story-line that I know will leave me with that warm, happy feeling, and that is the reason I pick up romance in the first place.  I love the college romance that is reignited through unusual circumstances theme :)

I'm not sure to be honest if I have read any of Mira Lyn Kelly's books before this one, but I will definitely be on the look-out for them and have added a couple to my TBR.

LOVED this book! I always love a heroine who isn't a pushover, and makes the hero work a little, and Mira Lyn Kelly does a wonderful job with that! The couple, the story, the friends...I loved them all!

As the whole I enjoyed this book. It was sweet and romantic and I really enjoyed it. But some things just didnt seem to make sense and some things I just thought did not work with Max's character.

Srah is this workaholic. She loves her job and is in Chicago for a few months before she gets her dream job in NYC. Her boss is Sean and he is a hottie. He is sweet, kind, rich and wants to get married and make lotsa babies. Sounds good right? Well it would have been wonderful but when he shows up at a friends wedding with Sarah as his date, Max, his best friend has a fit and turns all alpha. Sarah is the girl he let get away in college and you'd think he would have learned a lesson, but he still thinks she is too good for him.

He discovers she is still a virgin and so he turns her down again. If you are thinking what an idiot, you are right he is an idiot a lot in this story. Only when it seems that Sarah might have Sean devirginize her and realises he doesnt want Sarah with another guy, does he agree to be with her but only until she leaves town.

Even as he falls for her and she him, and Sean offers her a great job to stick around, Max still is his own worst enemy. Really he is a total idiot. No way anyone can say anything else about him. I forone would have never taken him back and if I did I would have made him pay for how he treated Sarah, but she doesn't which I found very disapointing.

If you are thinking I did not like Max well you would be right.He was a class A idiot. But this book was saved because I did like Sarah and I LOVED Sean and I loved all the minor characters like Max's sister Molly. This was a well written story and I liked almost all the characters. Max wasan idiot but he did not ruin the book for me and I cannot wait for Sean's story.

I received this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Sarah and Max's story is a slow burn that is sweet and sexy. College friends, she asks him to be the one to take her virginity, he gets scared and then they go their separate ways. 8 years later they meet again at a wedding, with her on the arm of his best friend. But things are not always what they seem.

When Sarah again asks Max to help her with her v-card issue, he freezes. But what he does for her is amazing after his foul up. The build of the romance, the passion that leaps off the pages in suttle touches, the sweet kisses, the wooing. It was all perfect until he let his mind f-it up. Then they are both in a tailspin. But was it worth it in the end?

I really enjoyed this book and didn't want to put it down. Sarah and Max's story is well written and thought provoking. I really couldn't get into Max's head. But near the end I thought I had figured him out, only to be surprised. The characters are easy to relate to and you want to be a part of the gang. I didn't understand the title of the book because the wedding was at the beginning of the book and there was really no bargaining done during that event. 

I can't wait for Sean's story.

THE WEDDING DATE BARGAIN is book 2 in the Wedding Date series from author Mira Lyn Kelly. I have to say I found this one to be alot better than the first story, May the Best Man Win. I enjoyed that story but I LOVED this one. The WEDDING DATE BARGAIN is the story of Sarah and Max. The characters are well written and realistic. The story is fast paced and engaging. I loved watching Max and Sarah reconnect and come to terms with what they want and where they want to go. Max is determined to not let Sarah mess up any of her life plans with him, but sometimes love doesn't always allow for a simple plan. This is one of those fun reads that leaves you smiling and eager to read the next story. I love the fact that it's not just Sarah and Max but their friends we get to enjoy. This is a perfect story for fans of second chance stories and friends to lovers. I highly recommend this one to everyone.

Couldn't get into it, sorry. Just not my thing. I found the story a bit boring and didn't love the characters.

Great characters and an enchanting  plot! I  will admit though, that the title doesn't  work for me. What bargain?

tl;dr: sweet and sexy chemistry overrides the few technical faults

***

The story:
When reading the title of a book, a reader generally has some expectations about what's to follow. But when it comes to this book, toss them. I have no idea why the book is titled 'The Wedding Date Bargain'. The wedding is a 3 page non-event, and I don't even know where the bargain comes from. 

This is the actual story: college friends Max and Sarah reconnect after 8 years, and then reconnect AGAIN one week later. Sarah has always had the hots for Max, and the feeling is mutual. She threw herself at him in college, but apparently he has a White Knight complex and refused to tarnish her virtue, so they spend 8 years mooning over the one that got away. When Sarah ends up working for his friend Sean's chain of hotels, she AGAIN tries to seduce him and he AGAIN says he can't be the guy to pop her cherry, because it would give her the wrong impression or something. But when Sarah agrees, and decides she'll find someone else to fix her 'problem', Max goes 110% caveman and offers himself as tribute, because he can't stand the idea of anyone else touching her.

This synopsis sounds was worse than the actual book, which, although a few of the plot strands were weird, was pretty sweet. Max and Sarah genuinely like each other, and it's only because of a lot of kidding themselves they're apart for so long. Max is worried about holding her back from her career and making her resent him, and Sarah is concerned because he has put up a front of being a total player with commitment problems. When Max decides he'll be her first sexual experience, he doesn't just jump into bed with her, he woos her for a couple of weeks, letting her know what he's doing, and being very respectful of her nervousness. 

There are a lot of other characters to keep track of, and it does get a little muddled at points. There's a book prior to this one regarding two other characters who pop up now and again. Their relationship is alluded to with just enough detail to make sense, but not enough to be a block of exposition.

Technical elements:
The plot timeline is a bit of a mess. Yes, it's en vogue to start a story in medias res, but I really wish it could go away. So, the story goes present day, one week before, present day, and then there's this hinting about 8 years before, and it all gets really confusing. I don't want my non-mystery novels to require a pinboard with red string to figure out what's happening. 

The second chapter opens with the 'one week before' section, and it appears they are at Belfast, a bar owned by one of Max's friends. I was under the impression that the bachelor party they were attending was there, since they mention going to a strip club, but not another bar. They meet Sarah there. Later on, Sarah says she's never been to Belfast. It was something that jumped out at me, and all the weird timeline incongruities didn't help. 

Otherwise, the writing flowed well and there were some fairly funny asides that I liked. The character's speech was sometimes a little stilted, but I find it difficult to convincingly write a male character that uses terms of endearment constantly. 

One of my favorite lines:
"She would get Max out of her apartment and crawl into a nice bottle of wine to cool the burn of embarrassment."

Final thoughts:
I enjoyed the writing style enough that I am curious to check out the other titles in the series, or maybe even just other works by this author. The reasons for keeping the hero and heroine apart here were a little manufactured, but they were sweet and spicy enough to keep me cheering them on.

excellent sweet read.

Max is one sexy beefcake, "...he leaned closer, whispering conspiratorially, “You have no idea what’s coming, baby. But you can be sure you’re going to like it.” Even when at odds end Sarah thinks about Max, and caring for him, "she adjusted the oversize tote on her shoulder. “Have you eaten? I brought a few things, in case you hadn’t. Simple stuff, so don’t get too excited, but if you’re hungry?” I really liked this book, I loved Max.